Partnership Vital in Building Professional Forces, Says Permanent Representative

The Security Council renewed today its authorization of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) for another 10 months, deciding to reduce uniformed personnel to 20,626 by 28 February 2019, and cautioning against any further delay in lowering that number beyond that date.

Unanimously adopting resolution 2431 (2018) under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, the Council also authorized the Mission to deploy a minimum 1,040 police personnel until 31 May 2019 and, setting out strategic objectives, to enable the gradual handover of security responsibilities to Somali security forces � contingent on their abilities, as well as progress on the political and security front � by December 2021.

Among AMISOM's priority tasks is to reduce the threat posed by Al Shabaab and other armed groups, including through targeted offensive operations, and to support Somali security forces during the ongoing political process.

Authorizing a reconfiguration of the Mission in favour of police personnel, the Council requested the African Union to submit a detailed plan, no later than 15 November, for reducing uniformed personnel, and along with the United Nations, to conduct a joint operational readiness assessment by 15 September to identify capacities and requirements within the authorized troop ceiling.

The Council went on to stress that AMISOM's civilian component should focus on supporting the Mission's eventual drawdown, in line with the transition plan and the ultimate aim of Somali security forces taking the lead for security responsibility by December 2021. Welcoming the Secretary General's plans for a technical review of the Mission by 31 January 2019, the Council reiterated its call for additional funding and technical assistance from new and existing donors.

Tekeda Alemu (Ethiopia), underscoring AMISOM's indispensable role, thanked Council members for their flexibility and compromise in reaching a consensus. Emphasizing that much remains to be done in terms of post conflict recovery and peacebuilding, he welcomed the resolution's emphasis on the Mission's civilian component, and stressed the importance of enhanced cooperation to better support an inclusive political process. He also welcomed its focus on the need to comprehensively assess the Mission and make recommendations on the gradual transition of security responsibilities to Somali authorities. Hopefully, he said, all decisions regarding the transition will be based on a close examination of the situation on the ground.

Abukar Dahir Osman (Somalia) welcomed the resolution's focus on Somalia's efforts to assume responsibility for its own security. That transition will not be easy, but with unity and support from the international community, it would be achieved. Welcoming the latest developments in the protracted conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea, he said Somalia will spare no effort in working towards a peaceful and prosperous future for the Horn of Africa region. Partnership will be crucial, particularly with donor and troop contributing countries, in building a professional and inclusive security sector that enables Somalis to live free from the threat of Al Shabaab. Underscoring the fragility of Somalia's health system, he voiced concern about the threat of a cholera outbreak and requested the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) implement the recommendations contained in the 2017 report of the Office of Internal Oversight Services on its waste management activities. He expressed hope that the spirit of compromise among Council members would continue, leading to a successful AMISOM drawdown.

The meeting began at 10:08 a.m. and ended at 10:23 a.m.

Resolution

The full text of resolution 2431 (2018) reads as follows:

The Security Council,

Recalling all its previous resolutions and statements of its President on the situation in Somalia,

Reaffirming its respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, political independence and unity of Somalia, and underscoring the importance of working to prevent destabilizing effects of regional crises and disputes from spilling over into Somalia,

Condemning Al Shabaab attacks in Somalia and beyond, expressing serious concern at the ongoing threat posed by Al Shabaab, and underlining its concern that Al Shabaab continues to hold territory and extort revenue in Somalia,

Expressing outrage at the loss of civilian life in Al Shabaab attacks, and paying tribute to the bravery and sacrifices made by the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and Somali security forces personnel in the fight against Al Shabaab, and recognizing the need to preserve the gains made through their commitment,

Reiterating its determination to support efforts to reduce the threat posed by Al Shabaab in Somalia, and underlining its commitment to support an inclusive Somali led political peace and reconciliation process,

Condemning the continued violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law in Somalia, in particular those involving the deliberate targeting of civilians and the recruitment of children,

Welcoming the positive contributions that the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) has made to supporting the gains made by AMISOM and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), and underscoring the importance of an effective partnership between the United Nations, the African Union and Member States in Somalia,

Recognizing that the federal Government of Somalia has the primary responsibility to protect its citizens and build its own national security forces, noting that these forces should be inclusive and representative of Somalia and act in full compliance with their obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law,

Welcoming the development of a conditions based transition plan with clear target dates for the progressive transfer of security responsibilities from AMISOM to the Somali security institutions and forces, and calling for its swift finalization of the detailed transition and implementation with full participation from all stakeholders, recalling the critical importance of accelerating the implementation of the national security architecture agreement between the federal Government of Somalia and the federal member states, including decisions to define the composition and roles of Somalia's security forces and to integrate and provide federal support to regional forces, in order to provide the foundation for a successful transition, and welcoming the renewed commitment of the federal Government of Somalia and the federal member states to accelerating security sector reform at the Somalia Partnership Forum in Brussels on 16 17 July,

Reaffirming the strong commitment of international partners to support the federal Government of Somalia and federal member states in establishing under the National Security Council and regional security councils, a capable, accountable, acceptable and affordable Somali led security sector as set out in the Security Pact adopted by Somalia and international partners on 11 May 2017 at the London Somalia Conference,

Recognizing that a more stable Somalia is of vital importance to ensuring regional security,

AMISOM

Commending the contribution of AMISOM to lasting peace and stability in Somalia, noting its critical role in improving the security situation and in providing the security to enable peacebuilding and State building progress in Somalia, including two national political processes, acknowledging the important contribution of AMISOM and the African Union in support of the Somali political process, expressing its appreciation for the continued commitment of troops, police and equipment to AMISOM by the Governments of Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, and recognizing the significant sacrifices made by AMISOM forces,

Recalling the Conclusions on children and armed conflict (document S/AC.51/2017/2),

Taking note of the joint African Union United Nations review of AMISOM, as requested in paragraph 23 of resolution 2372 (2017), the Report on the Ten Year Lessons Learned from AMISOM 2007 2017, and the African Union Peace and Security Council's communique of 27 June 2018 on the situation in Somalia and AMISOM,

Taking note of the Report of the African Union United Nations Special Envoys on AMISOM financing and its finding that in the immediate term voluntary contributions are required at an adequate level,

Expressing its support for a transfer of security tasks from AMISOM to the Somali security forces, in line with the national security architecture, in a gradual and conditions based manner, to ensure that the hard won security gains are preserved,

Recalling the decision in paragraph 5 of its resolution 2372 (2017) to reduce the level of uniformed AMISOM personnel by 30 October 2018, regretting the need to delay that reduction to 28 February 2019, and stressing that there should be no further delays to implementation of future decisions to reduce the level of uniformed AMISOM personnel,

Encouraging the African Union to evaluate regularly AMISOM's performance including the performance of troop and police contingents to ensure that the Mission has the skills and flexibility to carry out its mandate effectively, including through performance evaluation linked to clearly identified benchmarks and standards,

Welcoming the African Union's investigation of allegations of sexual violence against some AMISOM troops, underlining the importance of the African Union implementing the recommendations of its findings, taking action to prevent further abuses, and in line with resolution 2272 (2016),

Expressing concern over reports of pro Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as Da'esh) elements in Somalia and the security implications of the situation in Yemen for Somalia,

Expressing grave concern at the ongoing multifaceted humanitarian situation, and commending AMISOM's efforts to create conditions conducive to the delivery of humanitarian assistance,

Recalling its presidential statement S/PRST/2011/15, recognizing the adverse effects of climate change, ecological changes and natural disasters among other factors on the stability of Somalia, including through drought, desertification, land degradation and food insecurity, and emphasizing the need for adequate risk assessment and risk management strategies by Governments and the United Nations relating to these factors,

Determining that the situation in Somalia continues to constitute a threat to international peace and security,

Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,

AMISOM

1. Emphasizes that the long term objective for Somalia, with the support of its international partners, is that Somali security institutions and forces assume full responsibility for Somalia's security, and in this regard recognizes that AMISOM remains critical to security during this transition to allow for the Somali security institutions and forces to build their capacities;

2. Agrees with the Secretary General that conditions in Somalia are not appropriate for the deployment of a United Nations peacekeeping mission, and requests the Secretary General to keep the benchmarks for deployment under continuous review;

3. Underlines that the increases in the force strength decided in resolutions 2036 (2012) and 2124 (2013) were to provide short term enhancement to AMISOM's military capacity, and as part of an overall exit strategy for AMISOM, after which a decrease in AMISOM's force strength will be considered in light of progress on the ground;

4. Welcomes in this regard the recommendation of the African Union United Nations review to continue the gradual and phased reduction and reorganization of AMISOM's uniformed personnel in line with the implementation of the transition plan in order to provide a greater support role to the Somali security forces in line with the national security architecture as they progressively take the lead for security in Somalia, expresses its intention to follow closely the implementation of the transition plan and progress towards the handover of security responsibility from AMISOM to Somali security institutions with the aim of Somali security institutions taking the lead by December 2021, further welcomes the federal Government of Somalia's commitment and steps to implement the transition plan, including through the conduct of joint operations in order to become the primary security provider in Somalia, and underscores the need for transition of security responsibility to take into consideration the security situation in each location;

Priorities and tasks

5. Decides to authorize the member States of the African Union to maintain the deployment of AMISOM until 31 May 2019, including a minimum of 1,040 AMISOM police personnel including five formed police units, and to reduce the level of uniformed AMISOM personnel to a maximum level of 20,626 by 28 February 2019 unless the Security Council decides to accelerate the pace of the reduction taking into account the capabilities of the Somali security forces thus far, and stresses that there should be no further delay in the reduction of the level of uniformed AMISOM personnel beyond 28 February 2019;

6. Further decides that AMISOM shall be authorized to take all necessary measures, in full compliance with participating States' obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law, and in full respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, political independence and unity of Somalia, to carry out its mandate;

7. Decides to authorize AMISOM to pursue the following strategic objectives:

(a) Enable the gradual handing over of security responsibilities from AMISOM to the Somali security forces contingent on abilities of the Somali security forces and political and security progress in Somalia, with the aim of Somali security institutions taking the lead by December 2021;

(b) Reduce the threat posed by Al Shabaab and other armed opposition groups, including through mitigating the threat posed by improvised explosive devices;

(c) Assist the Somali security forces to provide security for the political process at all levels as well as stabilization coordinated with the Community Recovery and Extension of State Authority and Accountability, reconciliation and peacebuilding in Somalia;

8. Decides to authorize AMISOM to carry out the following priority tasks to achieve these objectives:

(a) Maintain a presence in the sectors set out in AMISOM's concept of operations, prioritizing the main population centres;

(b) To assist, as appropriate, the Somali security forces to protect the Somali authorities to help them carry out their functions of government, their efforts towards stabilization coordinated with the Community Recovery and Extension of State Authority and Accountability, reconciliation and peacebuilding, and security for key infrastructure;

(c) To protect, as appropriate, its personnel, facilities, installations, equipment and mission, and to ensure the security and freedom of movement of its personnel, as well as of United Nations personnel carrying out functions mandated by the Security Council;

(d) To conduct targeted offensive operations, including jointly with the Somali security forces, against Al Shabaab and other armed opposition groups;

(e) To secure key supply routes including to areas recovered from Al Shabaab, in particular those essential to improving the humanitarian situation, which may include commercial goods essential to meeting the basic needs of civilians, and those critical for logistical support to AMISOM, underscoring that the delivery of logistics remains a joint responsibility between the United Nations and the African Union;

(f) To mentor and assist Somali security forces, including combat readiness mentoring for Somali military forces, and mentoring and training for Somali police, in close collaboration with UNSOM and in line with the national security architecture and the transition plan;

(g) To reconfigure AMISOM, as security conditions allow, in support of the transition plan and in favour of police personnel within the authorized AMISOM personnel ceiling;

(h) To receive on a transitory basis, defectors, as appropriate, and in coordination with the United Nations and the federal Government of Somalia;

9. Requests the African Union to keep the Security Council regularly informed, through the Secretary General, on the implementation of AMISOM's mandate, including its reconfiguration in support of the transition plan, and any performance issues, such as effective command and control, responses to attacks on civilians, adequate equipment and information, which may adversely affect effective mandate implementation, and to report to the Council, through the provision of oral updates and no fewer than three written reports, every 120 days with the first written report not later than 15 November 2018, and further requests that the first written report contains a reconfiguration plan detailing the modalities of the reduction in the level of uniformed personnel set out in paragraph 5 of this resolution;

10. Requests that the African Union continues to ensure that AMISOM is configured to conduct the full range of mandated tasks effectively, including improving operational coordination among AMISOM contingents and ensuring effective consultation with appropriate Somali and international partners on operational decision making and, under the authority of the Force Commander, strengthening command and control structures capable of operating jointly with Somali security forces;

11. Requests the African Union and the United Nations to conduct, in collaboration with partners, a joint operational readiness assessment of AMISOM, to be completed by 15 September 2018, in order to identify capacities and requirements within the authorized troop ceiling set out in paragraph 5, including to support the implementation of the transition plan, and provide the baseline for a revised concept of operations that provides clear target dates for the progressive transfer of security responsibility from AMISOM to the Somali security institutions and forces;

12. Welcomes in this regard the intention of the African Union to develop a new concept of operations for AMISOM by 1 November 2018, and requests the African Union to develop this concept in close collaboration with the United Nations and federal Government of Somalia;

13. Recalls its request that the African Union generate the specialized units set out in the annex to resolution 2297 (2016), in particular the mission enabling units, and reiterating the importance that all force enablers and multipliers operate under the command of the Force Commander, welcomes efforts to identify specific requirements, and requests that these are generated without delay, and requests that the African Union provide regular updates on this force generation in its regular reports through the Secretary General;

14. Stresses the critical need to source fully functioning and mission appropriate contingent owned equipment including force enablers and multipliers as provided for in paragraph 6 of resolution 2036 (2012) either from existing AMISOM troop contributing countries or other Member States, and urges the African Union urgently to generate the remainder of the force enablers within the existing troop ceiling;

15. Stresses that AMISOM's civilian component should be fully operational to support AMISOM's military and police tasks and improve coordination between the United Nations and the African Union in Somalia, further stresses that AMISOM's civilian component should focus its efforts to support the transition and eventual drawdown in line with the transition plan and the aim of Somali security forces taking the lead for security responsibility by December 2021;

16. Reiterates its request in paragraph 18 of resolution 2111 (2013) that AMISOM support and assist the federal Government of Somalia and federal member states in implementing the total ban on the export of charcoal from Somalia, while noting AMISOM's strategic objectives and priority tasks;

17. Underlines the continued importance of AMISOM forces carrying out their mandate in full compliance with participating States' obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law, including with regard to the protection of civilians and on the basis of specific recommendations made during the joint review, and cooperating with UNSOM and UNSOS in implementing the human rights due diligence policy on United Nations support to non United Nations security forces, and calls upon AMISOM and the African Union to ensure monitoring of and prompt and thorough investigations into and reporting on allegations of violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law, as well as continuing to ensure the highest standards of transparency, and conduct and discipline;

18. Welcomes the progress made by AMISOM in complying with human rights and international humanitarian law, and urges troop- and police contributing countries to accelerate efforts to cooperate with the African Union and United Nations to enhance the effectiveness of measures and mechanisms to prevent and address non compliance, including on the basis of specific recommendations of the joint review, including selection and screening of AMISOM personnel;

19. Requests the Secretary General to ensure that any support provided to non United Nations security forces is provided in strict compliance with the human rights due diligence policy on United Nations support to non United Nations security forces and to include progress made in implementing the policy in the Secretary General's reports to the Security Council, including through the mitigating measures and mechanisms as set out by the joint review, and further requests UNSOS to strengthen its capacity to ensure the implementation of the human rights due diligence policy with regard to its support for AMISOM and Somali security forces;

20. Welcomes the work of the Civilian Casualty Tracking Analysis and Response Cell as requested in resolutions 2093 (2013) and 2124 (2013), underlines the importance of making the Analysis and Response Cell fully operational and effective without further delay, and in this regard urges the full support of troop and police contributors to the Analysis and Response Cell, in collaboration with humanitarian, human rights and protection actors, and underlines the importance of ensuring information is shared with relevant actors including the United Nations, is integrated into AMISOM reporting, and feeds into operational guidelines and plans;

21. Welcomes AMISOM's zero tolerance stance on sexual exploitation and abuse, calls on the African Union and troop contributing countries to take appropriate steps to prevent and investigate allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse, including screening personnel and undertaking risk assessments and training, and to hold perpetrators accountable and repatriate units where there is credible evidence of widespread or systemic sexual exploitation or abuse by those units, and further encourages the African Union to cooperate with the United Nations on all aspects related to addressing sexual exploitation and abuse;

22. Welcomes and strongly encourages the deployment of female uniformed personnel in AMISOM by the troop- and police contributing countries, and urges AMISOM to ensure the meaningful participation of women across its operations and to integrate a gender perspective throughout delivery of its mandate;

23. Welcomes the intention of the Secretary General to conduct a technical assessment of AMISOM by 31 January 2019, working closely with the African Union, as well as key international stakeholders and the federal Government of Somalia, to review AMISOM's reconfiguration in support of the transition plan, including the implementation of the reduction in the troop ceiling set out in paragraph 5, the progress towards achieving the strategic objectives in paragraph 7, its capability to conduct the priority tasks set out in paragraph 8, the alignment of UNSOS logistical support to AMISOM priorities and the transition plan, and to make recommendations on improved consultation with AMISOM regarding its support package and the progressive transition from AMISOM to Somali security responsibility including over the electoral period, taking into account the capacities of the Somali security forces;

24. Expresses its intention to consider further uniformed personnel reductions as security conditions and Somali capabilities and capacities allow, in line with the transition plan and the aim of Somali security institutions leading security responsibility by December 2021, and in light of the technical assessment set out in paragraph 23;

Support and Partnership

25. Requests the Secretary General to work closely with the African Union in supporting the implementation of this resolution, encourages continued close collaboration between UNSOM, UNSOS and AMISOM at all levels, including through the Senior Leadership Coordination Forum, in order to strengthen the joint senior leadership decision making between UNSOM and AMISOM and ensure operational efforts are aligned with a common set of strategic priorities, and enhance coordination efforts on the ground within the comprehensive approach to security mechanism to utilize each other's comparative advantage and maximize impacts for the federal Government of Somalia and federal member states, further requests the Secretary General to continue to provide technical and expert advice to the African Union on the planning, deployment and strategic management of AMISOM in line with the mandate of the United Nations Office to the African Union, and reiterates its request to the Secretary General, in view of the need to increase AMISOM's efficiency, to enhance the provision of technical advice to the African Union through existing United Nations mechanisms;

26. Stresses the importance of early and sustained coordination of all joint operations, as well as inclusive planning of stabilization and other follow up activity in newly recovered areas, including the focus areas identified in the transition plan, and of taking full account of the need to protect civilians and mitigate risk before, during and after any military operation, and encourages the strengthening of joint planning and operational management mechanisms in order to prioritize available resources;

27. Further stresses the importance of effective joint planning and implementation of the transition of primary security responsibility to the Somali security institutions between the federal Government of Somalia, federal member states, the United Nations, African Union and donors, and requests the Secretary General to report on progress towards transition in his reports on the situation in Somalia to this Council;

28. Agrees with the Secretary General that oversight and accountability, in particular compliance with the human rights due diligence policy on United Nations support to non United Nations security forces in the context of United Nations support to the transition of responsibilities between AMISOM and Somali security forces, will be the cornerstone of the partnership between the United Nations, the African Union, the federal Government of Somalia and the federal member states;

29. Urges the full implementation of the Force Commander's directive, in particular on the protection of children's rights during and after operations and to comply with the standard operating procedures for the reception and handover of children separated from armed groups in Somalia signed by the federal Government of Somalia;

30. Welcomes the support of the international community for peace and stability in Somalia, in particular the European Union for its substantial contribution in supporting AMISOM, as well as support from other bilateral partners for both AMISOM and the Somali security institutions and forces, emphasizes the importance of new contributions, including from new and existing donors from the international community, the African Union Peace Fund, the private sector, civil society and other donations, in order to share the financial burden of supporting AMISOM;

31. Reiterates its call for new and existing donors to support AMISOM through the provision of additional funding for troop stipends, equipment and technical assistance for AMISOM, and contributions to the United Nations Trust Funds for AMISOM and the Somali National Army, calls upon the African Union to consider how to provide sustainable funding for AMISOM, underlines the African Union's call for its member States to provide financial support to AMISOM, and urges AMISOM to reconfigure within the timeline and guidelines of this resolution to increase performance and effectively apply limited donor resources to the authorized uniformed personnel ceiling;

32. Stresses the need to enhance the predictability, sustainability and flexibility of financing for African Union led peace support operations authorized by the Security Council and under the Security Council's authority consistent with Chapter VIII of the Charter, encourages the Secretary General, African Union and partners to continue efforts to explore in earnest funding arrangements for AMISOM, bearing in mind the full range of options available to the United Nations, African Union, European Union, and to other partners, and considering the limitations of voluntary funding, in order to establish secure future funding arrangements for AMISOM;

Somali security forces

33. Recognizes that the primary responsibility for security lies with the Somali people and institutions, and in this regard, welcomes the historical political agreement on the national security architecture by the federal Government of Somalia and federal member states on 17 April 2017 and the development of the transition plan, commends their renewed commitment to security sector reform, and underscores the need to implement these commitments urgently, and to accelerate reform;

34. Underlines the continued importance of swift implementation of the national security architecture, delineating roles and responsibilities of Somalia's security institutions, agreeing on governance and oversight structures and identifying capability gaps in order to guide AMISOM and donors' security sector assistance priorities and signalling areas of cooperation with the international community in order to develop Somali led security institutions and forces, both military and civilian, that are capable, affordable, acceptable and accountable, and emphasizes the vital importance of the rule of law and of security forces acting at all times in full compliance with applicable obligations under international humanitarian law and human rights law including with respect to the protection of civilians, ending and preventing recruitment, re recruitment and use of children in armed conflict, and addressing conflict related sexual violence;

35. Stresses the importance of the federal Government of Somalia and federal member states accelerating the strengthening and improved coordination of the Somali security institutions, and enhancing efforts to move towards the eventual handover of security responsibilities to the Somali security services and withdrawal of AMISOM;

36. Welcomes efforts to implement the operational readiness assessment of the Somali National Army and to complete an operational readiness assessment of the Somali security forces outside the Somali National Army that are formally part of the national security architecture, led by the federal Government of Somalia with the active participation of the federal member states, and together with AMISOM and the United Nations and other international partners to determine numbers, capacities, locations and compliance with international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law, including age assessment mechanisms and screening for child soldiers, existence of accountability mechanisms, and level of vetting and training, and including the Somali police as well as other Somali security capacities, in order to hand over specific security tasks, identify capacities for joint operations, determine infrastructure, logistical capacity, equipment and training gaps, and provide a baseline for further security sector reform efforts, and to inform a revised concept of operations for AMISOM;

37. Welcomes the commitment of international partners to provide additional and more effective support through the comprehensive approach to security implementation mechanisms agreed at the London Somalia Conference, including more coordinated delivery of mentoring, training, equipment, capacity building and remuneration of police and military forces consistent with the Security Pact agreed at the London Somalia Conference and reiterated at the Somalia Security Conference in December 2017 and the Somalia Partnership Forum in July 2018, and in this regard emphasizes the important role of UNSOM to assist the federal Government of Somalia in coordinating international donor support for security sector assistance;

38. Welcomes the support already provided by the international community and bilateral donors to the Somali security sector, encourages partners to further enhance their support to national and State level institutions for the development of the Somali security sector, in line with the agreed national security architecture, including logistical support, calls upon new partners to come forward to support this development, and reiterates the importance of increased coordination amongst all partners as agreed in the Security Pact;

39. Underscores the need for international partners to closely align their efforts in a fully coordinated manner to enable Somalia to achieve a comprehensive approach to advance sustainable security, and the need to implement commitments through the implementation mechanism set out in the Security Pact on 11 May 2017;

40. Underlines that it is essential that military operations are followed immediately by Somali efforts to establish or improve governance structures in recovered areas and by the delivery of basic services, including security, through the National Security Council and regional security councils;

41. Recognizes that the threat of Al Shabaab and other armed opposition groups will not be defeated by military means alone, and in this regard encourages the federal Government of Somalia, with the support of UNSOM, to continue to take a comprehensive approach to security, in line with the Security Pact and the New Partnership Agreement for Somalia, and to implement Somalia's National Strategy and Action Plan for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism in order to strengthen Somalia's capacity to prevent and counter terrorism;

42. Welcomes the agreements reached by the federal Government of Somalia and federal member states to establish basic policing services across Somalia, as part of the new federal policing model, requests UNSOM to continue to support implementation of the federal policing model, especially at the federal member states level, encourages donors to support relevant national and State level institutions in its implementation, welcomes capacity building for the maritime police force in line with resolution 2246 (2015) by the federal Government of Somalia with the support of UNSOM, and looks forward to progress towards its implementation;

43. Commends the federal Government of Somalia and the federal member states for their commitment to increase the transparency and accountability of security sector financial management, and the payment of salaries and support requirements as set out in the Security Pact, and in line with the national Constitution and resource sharing mechanisms and looks forward to progress on this commitment;

44. Calls on the federal Government of Somalia, the federal member states, AMISOM and UNSOM to work to ensure that women and girls are protected from sexual and gender based violence, including sexual exploitation and abuse, which can significantly exacerbate and prolong situations of armed conflict and may impede the restoration of international peace and security, and that survivors are supported and perpetrators held accountable, and urges the federal Government of Somalia, with the support of the United Nations, to accelerate the implementation of the joint communique and the national action plan to combat sexual violence in conflict, and further calls on the Somali security forces to take appropriate steps to prevent and investigate allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse involving their personnel;

Logistical Support

45. Requests the Secretary General to continue to provide a logistical support package for UNSOM, AMISOM and 70 AMISOM civilians, on the basis set out in operative paragraph 2 of resolution 2245 (2015), and for 10,900 Somali security forces, who are formally part of the national security architecture, on joint operations with AMISOM, in line with the transition plan, on the same basis as such support was provided to the Somali National Army under operative paragraph 2(f) of resolution 2245 (2015), and further requests the Secretary General to expedite the necessary procedures to implement resolution 2245 (2015);

46. Stresses the need for responsive and effective field support and in this regard welcomes UNSOS's efforts, in collaboration with AMISOM, to implement measures aimed at strengthening accountability and efficiency in the management of resources and finances in order to better align the delivery of logistical support to AMISOM's priorities and activities and requests the Secretary General to report on progress in his regular reporting;

47. Welcomes the signing of a tripartite memorandum of understanding by the Governments of Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda, with the United Nations, and the African Union, and urges remaining troop- and police contributing countries to conclude negotiations on the trilateral memorandum of understanding without delay;

Somalia

48. Welcomes the federal Government of Somalia's active engagement with the universal periodic review process and encourages implementation of all accepted recommendations;

49. Expresses concern at continued violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law in Somalia, underscores the need to end impunity, uphold human rights and to hold accountable those responsible for such violations and abuses, welcomes the establishment of the National Human Rights Commission, and encourages the federal Government of Somalia to approve the appointment of the Commissioners, and implement fully the action plan of its Human Rights Road Map, including by implementing legislation aimed at protecting human rights and investigating and prosecuting perpetrators of crimes involving violations or abuses of human rights, violations of international humanitarian law, and conflict related sexual and gender based violence;

50. Reiterates its continued concern at the high number of refugees and internally displaced persons, including persons newly displaced by floods and the drought, expresses its serious concern at the ongoing forced evictions of internally displaced persons in Somalia, stresses that any eviction should be consistent with relevant national and international frameworks, encourages the federal Government of Somalia to conclude ratification of the Kampala Convention and implement its provisions in full including by passing legislation to ensure the rights of internally displaced persons during all phases of displacement, urges the federal Government of Somalia and all relevant actors to strive to provide concrete durable solutions for internal displacement, and calls on the federal Government of Somalia and all relevant actors to strive to create the conditions conducive to the voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return of refugees and internally displaced persons, including by offering internally displaced persons access to services, security and protection in collaboration with the affected communities and humanitarian actors, and with the support of the international community;

51. Recalls its resolution 2417 (2018) and expresses grave concern at the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Somalia and its impact on the people of Somalia, commends the efforts of the United Nations humanitarian agencies and other humanitarian actors to deliver life saving assistance to vulnerable populations, condemns the increase in attacks against humanitarian workers and calls on all parties to respect and protect humanitarian personnel, facilities and assets; further condemns any misuse or obstruction of humanitarian assistance, and reiterates its demand that all parties allow and facilitate rapid, safe and unimpeded access for the timely delivery of aid to persons in need across Somalia in line with humanitarian principles, including by dismantling illegal checkpoints and removing administrative hurdles, underlines the importance of proper accounting in international humanitarian support, and encourages national disaster management agencies in Somalia to scale up capacity with support from the United Nations to take a stronger leadership role in coordination of humanitarian response;

52. Underlines the importance of respect for international humanitarian law and the protection of civilians, especially women and children, and respect for relevant Security Council resolutions, by all actors in Somalia;

53. Reaffirms the important role of women and youth in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and in peacebuilding, stresses the importance of their full, equal, effective and meaningful participation in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security, and acknowledges the important contribution that civil society can make in this regard;

54. Strongly condemns all violations and abuses committed against children in armed conflict in Somalia, including the increase in the number of cases of recruitment of children, attacks on schools, and of sexual violence perpetrated against children, demands that the parties to the conflict cease immediately all violations and abuses against children and calls on the federal Government of Somalia to hold perpetrators accountable and to implement fully the Convention of the Rights of the Child 1989, including by ratification of or accession to its optional protocols, and the action plans signed in 2012, the recently adopted Somali National Army Command Order on the Protection of Children's Rights before, during and after operations, and the standard operation procedures on the handover of children, and underscores the need to strengthen the legal and operational framework for the protection of children and to strengthen existing vetting mechanisms;

Reporting

55. Requests the Secretary General to keep the Security Council regularly informed on the implementation of this resolution in his regular reports requested in paragraph 28 of resolution 2408 (2018);

56. Requests the Secretary General to update the Security Council on the status of the Somali security forces and their readiness to perform security tasks taking into consideration the outcome of the operational readiness assessment, and on the impact of operations on the level of threat from Al Shabaab, and further requests the African Union to report through the Secretary General on progress on the reconfiguration of AMISOM in support of the transition plan, including the progress made to implement the reduction of the troop ceiling as set out in paragraph 5, and progress towards achieving AMISOM's objectives, in its regular reports to the Security Council in order to maintain the momentum of transition to Somali security forces;